


A Loose End

by TintinnabulousRunes



Series: Panem Forever [2]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, POV First Person, The Rebellion Failed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 03:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20959790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TintinnabulousRunes/pseuds/TintinnabulousRunes
Summary: There is a loose end to be tied up in District 4.





	A Loose End

**Summer 75**   
**July 24th**

**Edgar Oclery**   
**District 4**   
**Shipwright**

The letter could never have been written by Em. I look at it again. The handwriting is far from her barely legible scrawl.

Someone else must have written it for her.

The wording is wrong, too. She never called me "love." Instead, she somehow turned asshole into a term of endearment.

Still, it wouldn't be the first time that I got a note written on her behalf. In part, due to the fact even I cannot read her handwriting most of the time. I'm pretty sure Em can't read her own handwriting half the time and just denies that fact out of pride.

Things feel off, though. I'm waiting in the kitchen like the letter said to. Let myself in, since I still have the key, even though it has been three years since I last stayed here. And nearly two since I last spoke to Em at all. The guards at the gate waved me right in, though, so I was expected.

Could be that someone set the meeting up.

But it's noon and Em still isn't here. For all of her flaws, being late was never one of Em's.

But I do know that Mags and Finnick's funeral pyres were last night. Annie will be taking it particularly hard. Em will probably be the only person who can get through to her right now.

That's probably got a lot to do with it. Would take a blow like that for her to get over herself.

Bought her a bag of her favorite licorice. Cost me nearly all of a week's pay. Guess that proves to myself I want this being us getting back together.

I still love her. The reason I left wasn't because I didn't love her.

A door creaks. From upstairs? Another door creaks. That's that front door. I know that squeak. I never did get around to oiling it like I promised.

This is wrong. I stand. I'm finding Em and getting this sorted out.

Both the footsteps are too heavy to be her.

This is a trap.

"Sit back down, Mr. Oclery." A voice orders.

I sit down because one does not disobey the President of Panem.

Another door opens. Kitchen door, directly behind me. Something presses against the back of my head. Cold. Hard. Metal. The barrel of a gun.

My heart skips a beat.

It's failed. We've been found out. The message from Coin said to proceed as planned, that they had remained uncompromised. District 13 was obviously mistaken.

I won't tell them anything. They'll have to kill me or cut my tongue out. They'll get nothing from me.

President Snow enters my field of vision.

From the direction of the front hall, I hear boots marching and Em swearing up a storm in a way only she seems to be able to.

Em stops swearing.

No. He can't do this in front of her.

I look over to her. A Peacekeeper has her in an arm bar. She has a knife in her free hand. The big hunting knife with the ebony handle I got her for our first anniversary. Because if she's going to carry a knife with her, well, it may as well be a pretty one.

We lock eyes. I smile at her, even though I know what is about to come.

"Ed?" She whispers.

A bang drowns out anything else she has to say.


End file.
